A new report on Hong Kong's constitutional development to be made by the Hong Kong chief to the central authority should reflect the will of Hong Kong people and be in principle, a top official said Thursday.

And the report Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tung Chee-hwa will submit should be one in principle, instead of one on detailed issues, said Qiao Xiaoyang, deputy secretary-general of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Qiao was addressing a forum hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government. He added that suggestions and opinions of the Hong Kong society should be reflected, and any judgment and decisions will be made by the central authority.

Speaking at the conclusion of the two-hour forum, which was attended by some 100 Hong Kong law practitioners, Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said Tung had requested the Constitutional Development Task Force with Tsang as the head should complete the second report relating to constitutional development in Hong Kong as soon as possible.

Tsang said the task force would try its best to represent to Tung the opinions and interests of the majority of the Hong Kong people in the report.

Tsang said that participants to the forum had exchanged views in a frank and constructive manner.

Qiao explained that Hong Kong's constitutional development should follow the principles of conforming to the actual situation, seeking a gradual and orderly progress and guaranteeing a balanced representation.

He pointed out the principles must be adhered to for a long period of time for constitutional development in Hong Kong.

Qiao, together with Li Fei, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, and Xu Ze, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, arrived on Wednesday, at the invitation of the SAR government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR.

They were invited to explain the interpretations of the recent annexes to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR made by the NPC Standing Committee.

In the afternoon, Qiao, Li and Xu also attended a seminar to continue exchanging views with Hong Kong Legislative Councillors and people from other segments of society.

Qiao said after Wednesday's forum that many participants are concerned about the timetable of the constitutional development and hope people from various walks of life will correctly understand the contents and essence of the interpretation and rationally discuss constitutional development so as to maintain stability in Hong Kong.

(China Daily April 9, 2004)